SLEEP. 603 



history is not given. k Mary Lyall fell asleep in the morning of 

 the 21st of June, and did not awake till the evening of the 30th, 

 and slept again the next day till the 8th of August, remaining 

 motionless and without food from the first till seven days had 

 elapsed, when she moved her left hand and pointed to her mouth, 

 in consequence of which food was given her, which she took during 

 the rest of her sleep: she heard nothing; and, though she instantly 

 drew back her left hand when touched with the point of a pin, 

 the right might be scratched till it bled without pain : she was 

 bled, blistered, and plunged into cold water without sensation : 

 her pulse for the first two weeks was generally 50 ; during the 

 3d and 4th about 60; and the day before she awoke 70 or 72 : 

 her breathing was almost imperceptible, but in the night oc- 

 casionally strong as in a person asleep : she gave signs of hearing 

 about four days before she awoke ; and afterwards recollected 

 nothing that had occurred in her attack, neither the blistering, 

 bathing, nor eating ; and had the idea only of having passed a 

 long night in sleep. * 



A lady at Nismes would sleep from sunrise, whatever the 

 season of the year, till near noon ; and again immediately after 

 noon, not waking till between seven arid eight at night ; but she 

 now remained awake till sunrise. If the attack lasted six months, 

 she was free for six months ; if for twelve, she was free for twelve* 

 The affection gradually declined, so that she lived free from it 

 many years, and died at eighty-one. 



Dr. Macnish mentions one "^Elizabeth Orvin, who spent three 

 fourths of her life in sleep." 



In hysteria, I saw a young lady who slept for six weeks and re- 

 covered : and her twin sister had slept for a month ; but, whether 

 from not being well supplied with nourishment and warmth I 

 cannot say, she died before I saw her, and on inspection nothing 

 but inanition and bloodlessness was found. 01 



Elizabeth Perkins, in 1788, fell into a deep sleep from which 

 nothing would rouse her : at the end of eleven days she spon- 

 taneously awoke, and went about as usual ; but fell asleep again in 

 a week, remained so for some days, and, with occasional intervals 



k Phil. Trans. 1694. 



1 Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1818. 

 m See my clinical lecture in the Lancet, March 12. 1831. 



